As you can see it is a fairly simple procedure. We place a plastic bag over a potted plant {chrysanthemum} and secured it with tape around the base of the pot .

We left the plant overnight and next morning eagerly removed the plastic for inspection.

Predictions

the plant will with die

it will be very droopy

it will need of some water

What we found –

Zac – It’s wet {on the inside of the plastic}

Transpiration investigation. You will need – a clear plastic bag and an elastic band. This experiment will show you how much water is transpired through the leaves of plants. Try this with a few different plants to see if the results are different. Many plants take water in through their roots and pass it out through their leaves through tiny holes called stomata Step 1 Tie a clear, clean plastic bag firmly around some leaves on a bush, taking care not to harm it. Make sure the bag has no holes in it. Step 2Check the bag daily to see what happens. Are all bushes the same?

So here we are with our third experiment – looking at chemical reaction and energy. After seeing Professor Bunsen work his magic with all his amazing experiments , we thought we investigate how chemical reactions can create energy. This experiment required placing a teaspoon or two of yeast into a plastic bottle and then adding some water – one cube of sugar before placing a balloon over the lid. We all were hoping the balloons would rise.

Student thoughts /predictions – ”I think it will rise because of the yeast – isn’t meant to make things rise? Will H ” The balloon will pop!” Oliver It will lean ‘- Keira

Like our recent work with paper planes we continued our investigation into the forces of gravity though constructing parachutes. Again we went on to the oval and the adventure playground. Unlike the planes this was a little more challenging.

We discovered that

the greater the area of the chute canopy – the greater the chance of a slower fall

the smaller the area the higher you had to throw the chute in order for it to work.

We also found that you had to be careful with the object or weight you would tie your chute to because this was a critical factor in assisting your chute to free fall slowly or plummet.

The Science

We all know thatwhatever is thrown up always comes down. This is due to a force calledgravity– which comes from the centre of the earth andattracts everything(physical things, living beings) to the surface of the earth. This is why we are able to walk on earth otherwise we would be flying around. Little children have great fun experimenting with this idea – especially when it comes to throwing things on the floor and expecting other people to pick them up!

One of the objects that obey this law of gravity is theparachute. In real life, parachutes are very valuable since they used in emergency situations when people need to exit off a plane that is not functioning correctly. The parachute allows a person to land on the ground safely, but requires lot of training. The time taken to reach the ground depends on theweight of the person, the wind speed, parachute sizeetc. You too can create a parachute at home and experiment with it.

HOW DOES IT WORK?Why doesn’t the toy fall to the ground immediately as normal? Since the toy is attached to the plastic sheet, when it begins to fallair fills up in the canopy and resists or prevents free fall. This force is actingupwardsand we still have the force of gravity actingdownwards. If the forces were equal in strength, the parachute would not move; it would be stuck in the air, but sincegravity is stronger, the parachute is attracted downwards and so it floats down slowly.

Aerodynamics

This week we have been conducting some amazing scientific experiments. We began with making paper aeroplanes. We were keen to see the factors which affect them and if we can work out the forces {physics} behind this. We made a host of planes of various shapes and sizes. They all either glided or flew depending upon their designs. Some had built in plastic straws to add stability, others wide wings and some pointy noses. We went on the oval and later onto the adventure playground to throw them from an elevated position.

Student ideas to key question – Zac ” I think the air will lift it up.” – “Kitty The air below is pushing up.” James “The wings will capture the air and glide/fly.”

So how does a paper plane fly?

Aerodynamics

What makes a paper airplane fly? Air — the stuff that’s all around you. Hold your hand in front of your body with your palm facing sideways so that your thumb is on top and your pinkie is facing the floor. Swing your hand back and forth. Do you feel the air? Now turn your palm so it is parallel to the ground and swing it back and forth again, like you’re slicing it through the air. You can still feel the air, but your hand is able to move through it more smoothly than when your hand was turned up at a right angle. How easily an airplane moves through the air, or its aerodynamics, is the first consideration in making an airplane fly for a long distance.

Drag and Gravity

Planes that push a lot of air, like your hand did when it was facing the side, are said to have a lot of “drag,” or resistance, to moving through the air. If you want your plane to fly as far as possible, you want a plane with as little drag as possible. A second force that planes need to overcome is “gravity.” You need to keep your plane’s weight to a minimum to help fight against gravity’s pull to the ground.

Thrust and Lift

“Thrust” and “lift” are two other forces that help your plane make a long flight. Thrust is the forward movement of the plane. The initial thrust comes from the muscles of the “pilot” as the paper airplane is launched. After this, paper airplanes are really gliders, converting altitude to forward motion. Lift comes when the air below the airplane wing is pushing up harder than the air above it is pushing down. It is this difference in pressure that enables the plane to fly. Pressure can be reduced on a wing’s surface by making the air move over it more quickly. The wings of a plane are curved so that the air moves more quickly over the top of the wing, resulting in an upward push, or lift, on the wing.

The Four Forces in Balance

A long flight occurs when these four forces — drag, gravity, thrust, and lift — are balanced. Some planes (like darts) are meant to be thrown with a lot of force. Because darts don’t have a lot of drag and lift, they depend on extra thrust to overcome gravity. Long distance fliers are often built with this same design. Planes that are built to spend a long time in the air usually have a lot of lift but little thrust. These planes fly a slow and gentle flight.